Ferris State Volleyball Notches Road Victory At Davenport In GLIAC Play

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Ferris State University women's volleyball squad defeated Davenport in four sets, 19-25, 25-16, 25-18, 25-15, on Tuesday (Oct. 7) at the DU Student Center.

The Bulldogs capitalized on a strong offensive performance, with 59 kills and a .298 hitting percentage. A key moment came in the second set when the Bulldogs turned the momentum with a decisive 25-16 win, setting the stage for their victory.

The first set between Ferris State and Davenport saw a tightly contested opening, with both teams exchanging points early on. The Panthers capitalized on Ferris State's attack errors to take an early 3-1 lead. Ferris State responded with effective blocks by Logyn Geren and Hayley Wegener, tying the score at 4-4. Emily May's consistent attacking helped Ferris State stay competitive, bringing the score to 6-6. However, Davenport's Madison Berry and Kaitlin Jordan established control with decisive kills, extending their lead to 19-14. Despite a late surge by Ferris State featuring Gabby Piazza's kills, Davenport maintained their edge and closed out the set with consecutive kills by Kaitlin Jordan, winning 25-19.

Ferris State capitalized on several Davenport errors to take control early in the second set. After a service error by Julia Frederick gave Ferris St. their first point, the Panthers responded with a 4-1 run, highlighted by an Abby Alan kill and a block by Morgan Tydings and Kaitlin Jordan. However, Ferris State quickly turned the tide with a 7-0 run, including kills from Emily May and Hope Davies, to lead 9-6. May continued to be a key contributor, notching several kills to widen the Bulldogs' lead to 20-14. The set concluded with FSU securing a 25-16 victory, as Piazza's kill sealed the final point.

Ferris State claimed the third set against Davenport with a 25-18 victory, fueled by a series of key plays and consistent performance. Wegener contributed significantly with multiple assists, including a pivotal setup leading to a kill by Piazza at 13-12. Piazza also delivered with a service ace, pushing FSU into a 23-16 lead. Despite Davenport's efforts, including a late kill by Amelia Werner, the Bulldogs maintained their momentum, with Piazza securing the final point from another Wegener assist.

Ferris State took control early in the fourth set with a strong offensive display, jumping to a 4-0 lead highlighted by kills from Piazza and May, and a block by May and Aaliyah Cage. Davenport struggled with attack errors, allowing Ferris State to extend the lead to 9-1. Ferris State maintained its momentum, with Emma Bleecher and Geren contributing key points to push the score to 20-8. Despite a brief rally from Davenport that brought the score to 20-13, Ferris State closed out the set decisively at 25-15. May secured the final point with a kill from Wegener's set, sealing the victory for Ferris State.

Bleecher recorded 16 digs and contributed three total blocks in four matches for FSU. Geren led the team in blocking with five total blocks, including five block assists, alongside 10 kills on 17 attempts. May posted 15 kills and tallied 16 points, maintaining a hitting percentage of .324. Piazza finished with 19 kills and collected 20.5 points, adding 11 digs to her performance. Davies had 23 digs and Wegener finished with 41 assists.

Berry led Davenport with 38 assists, contributing significantly to the team's offensive rhythm. Defensive standouts included Hayley Carr, who recorded a team-high 15 digs, and Frederick, who added 14 digs, solidifying the back row defense. Jordan was the most effective attacker with 11 kills and a .250 hitting percentage, providing a steady offensive presence.

Ferris State now holds an 11-4 overall record, with a 6-1 mark in the GLIAC. Davenport stands at 7-7 overall and 4-3 in GLIAC play.

The Bulldogs will visit Saginaw Valley State on Friday (Oct. 10) for another league road match starting at 6 p.m. (ET) in University Center.